Tag Archives: Success

I received a SPEED lead (Term Life) last week, called it immediately, and booked an appointment (for the next day). I showed up the next day, and Kenneth let me in. I talked with him for about twenty minutes, and I found out the reason why he had filled out the form. A week prior, he got into an argument with his boss of ten years, and he was fired. Sadly, he had tied his protection on his family to his employment, and his 100k in life insurance evaporated…He was now in panic mode. Two days prior to finding us online, he sent in two applications to a competitor of ours that promised him GRADED coverage for two years with little to no cash value accumulation. After digging deeper, Mr. Kenneth also told me that he loved his family very much and that if he couldn’t find coverage, it would literally be devastating to his family if he died. He informed me that his wife Joan was very sick with Crohn’s disease, and his forty year old daughter, who lives with them, suffers from spina bifida.

By this time, the wife heard Kenneth and I talking for a while and she appeared from the back of the home and joined us at the kitchen table. I edified Mr. Kenneth in front of his wife for being a great provider for his family and for going to great lengths to find some type of protection to make sure that they would not be out on the street in a tragedy. I then proceeded to write up Monumental apps on Kenneth and his wife, Joan, who he said there was no way in the world she would get approved due to her Crohn’s disease and 20 other meds. Fast forward 3-4 days. Monumental APPROVED both policies LEVEL STANDARD!!!! Wow!!!!

Driving 3.5 hours on the way back from Mike Shless’ Boot Camp in Charlotte, NC last Friday, I had 2 of our new Team members in the car; Paul Andrew (Direct to me) and Marcus Taylor (Direct to David O’Donnell). I asked them if they would like to hear me ,over the car’s speakers , call out on an approval, (making money while you’re making money, while you’re making money) and of course they said “yes!” I then called Kenneth, and I’m telling you Andy, you would have thought it was scripted. I have never heard a client scream so loud! It about blew out my speakers! They were thanking me 1000 times over for showing up to their home and helping them out with this coverage and also to Andy Albright for sending them all those emails telling them that ‘Agent X’ was going to be calling them to help! Mission Accomplished!

From the bottom of my heart,

First: Thank you Andy Albright for creating a great lead system that generates clients like this that appreciate us!

Second: Thank you Andy Albright for teaching Mark Womack how to teach Andy Riddle how to teach Mike Shless how to teach me how to professionally and effectively help families like this out!! Without this training, our Team and I would be sunk !!!

Sincerely,

Jonn F Myers

Agency Manager

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An interesting tidbit about high-producing agents at National Agents Alliance is that there is a lot of diversity in backgrounds and education levels. All sorts of people succeed in our system, which should give hope to all aspiring agents.

What this proves is that “heart” will give talent a run for its money every time. The world is full of talented people who never reach their potential or their dreams, and we see many people, seemingly average folks, who have that extra something inside them that drives them to the top.

Heart is that invisible, intangible ingredient that is so difficult to describe. It’s the magic that takes you to the next level, an overdrive that successful people just seem to be able to reach down and grab when they need something extra. It’s a desire, a conscious choice to live big and to never quit until goals are accomplished.

People with heart are able to take a difficult situation and get around, over or through it. They never let fear keep them from their goal. They are not afraid to take a risk, while some highly talented people procrastinate and shrink under pressure. The agent with heart embraces the challenge, looks past the obstacles to see the end result miles before the finish line. They live in the present, knowing they can’t change the past, and courageously step out of their comfort zone to take on the challenge ahead.

CEO, Andy Albright, in step five of the 8 Steps to Success talks about association. When you “attend all meetings” you get to be around the best of the best, some who are talented, some not so much. But all of the best have heart. Those are the people you want to emulate. Watch and learn what they do.

Take a close look at yourself and the comfort zone where you hide. The “comfort” zone can really be a “miserable” zone because things never change. To expand your horizons you need to get a bit uncomfortable, take a few risks and go for it! You might surprise yourself and land in the winner’s circle that is reserved for those with heart!

Here at National Agents Alliance HQ we recently received an email from James Hadde that we wanted to share with you. Hadde had been in a major slump and was feeling frustrated about his business.

For roughly a month, Hadde couldn’t seem to do anything right. It got so bad that he decided to rearrange his office on the suggestion of an older Chinese gentleman.

Believe it or not … the fellow might have been on to something.

Hadde set four appointments … he closed on all FOUR!

Anybody can get lucky, right?

Next, Hadde drove to see a six-month old lead with no phone number. He closed again!

Sometimes things come in bunches, right?

One of Hadde’s new recruits, Joyce, brought him great news … she finally closed an appointment on her own without Hadde being in the home to help her.

When you’ve been in a slump for 30 days that could be called a windfall for many!

In one quick day, Hadde turned in five applications – the most in a week he had submitted since Jan. 23.

“That’s a long time, especially since I do it routinely and have gotten in the habit of it,” Hadde wrote. “This also will mark two weeks in a row that Joyce has turned in business. More wonderful was the drive by from a six-month old lead, but even better was one of my appointments was a lead that was more than a year old.”

An old lead? With Hadde’s recent run, he was on it!

His notes noted that it was a wife, whose husband was deployed for one year, but was coming home in February of 2012.

Hadde called the lead and set an appointment. He arrived to what appeared to be an empty house but opted to knock on the door just in case.

A Samoan kid that looked no more than 18 opened the door and looked like he had a rough night. After letting Hadde in, he asked about the wife. The man said he’s getting a divorce and that when he gets deployed again next month she will take the house over.

“I ask about his kids…with the wife living at mom’s house,” Hadde wrote. “He says that since she will get the house and the kids that I should talk to her.”

Another run of bad luck for Hadde? Maybe … maybe not.

Hadde called the wife and she asks that he come talk to her about coverage.

After more than a year of hanging on to the lead, Hadde helped protect the woman and her children.

Another home run for Hadde!

“Pretty cool,” Hadde wrote.”Pretty much proves that a lead is a lead is a lead. If people do not have protection in place, there is no better time than now.”

Hadde wasn’t done yet. He was running appointments in Maui last week and was moved to tears by a lead that read “TEXT ONLY.” He called the lead three times and a man answers the phone. He explains to Hadde that he is a co-worker of the lead and he answered because the lead is a deaf man, who can’t hear. He sets an appointment and finds out the client is a local Japanese man and his wife is deaf too. She also just happens to be from the same city in Japan that Hadde is from. She could only read and write in Japanese.

The deaf man breaks out a pad of paper and starts communicating with Hadde in Japanese.

The clients loved this. They use Japanese, English and sign language that eventually leads to Hadde writing a small policy for the deaf couple.

Before leaving, the deaf woman shared some handmade treat she had made for Hadde.

After spending four hours with the couple, Hadde had another success story to share, and he had made new friends.

“Even better is that they told me that they have never been able to get insurance (they are in their 60’s) because no one wanted to help them,” Hadde said. “They have one daughter and really want to leave something for her. I am happy to do this. The thought of helping these people goes right down deep into my heart and when I get to my car I start crying with joy, knowing that I love the job I have and cherish the ability to help people and change their lives even when other people don’t want to walk the extra mile and reach out only to the low hanging fruit.”

Another great story from your National Agents Alliance team members! Thanks for sharing James, and keep swinging for the fence. Babe Ruth hit 714 home runs, but most forget that he also struck out 1,330 times in his career. Keep up the good work!

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I received an October 2011 lead as a AA for a 91 y/o woman. I knew that we couldn’t help her but called anyway to verify her age. Her daughter who is her power of attorney confirmed her age, and once I disclosed that we unfortunately could not help her mom, she indicated that she still had about 5-6 people who were interested in a policy. So we arranged a time and date.

Lucky for me, yup, SHE STOOD ME UP!

From my initial call until now, I have spoken to this woman, who I later found out was a doctor, 25 times, and scheduled at least 8 more appointments that were all no shows!

Finally, last week I called her and gently apologized for missing one another. I made her aware that I could not continue to schedule appointments with her because when she misses an appointment I could be meeting with other families that needed protection. I guess that was the wrong thing to say because she said, “Well forget it then, Brandee, they just won’t get it!” and hung up on me.

Can you imagine how happy I was and how I wanted to call her back to say so many nice things to her? NOT!!!

I remembered training with my manager while driving back to MD from Boot Camp in NC. My manager taught us how to ignore the hang ups and to call back. So I took a few minutes, called her back and said, “Dr. Jacquelyn, I apologize, I lost reception in my office. So you were saying that you apologize for missing the appointment and we can reschedule for the 4pm or 6:45p time slot?” (I learned that quick time slot follow up by watching Jaime book appointments live). She replied “Brandee I can’t talk right now, I’m in the bank in VA for my mom, but I do apologize for not being where I said I would. Call me back tomorrow and we will reschedule.” So I agreed.

After this call I contacted my manager and informed him of how mad I was. He indicated I did the right thing but said to double book her the next time I scheduled an appointment with her.

Yes, here we go again. I’m calling to reschedule but this time she hasn’t answered her phone for 4 days.

On Thursday, March 22, 2012, at our group dial session I came to this lead. NO, I didn’t want to call, but I thought about those who needed my help, not Dr. Jacquelyn or her attitude. Still I called and she answered!

I said, “Dr. Jacquelyn, girl, we keep missing one another.” She said “Who is this?” and I replied, “Brandee”. She then asked when I would be back in the area, and I told her that I would be available on Friday and Saturday. She indicated that she was off Saturday for the entire day and that everybody who was interested in a policy would be at her house then too. I gave her two time selections and then we were set for Saturday, March 24, 2012 at 12:15 PM. I had probably repeated the date and time about 16 times when she indicated in a joking manner that she would slap me if I repeated it again. I told her “Well you only stood me up 100 times, just want to make sure you will be available.” She laughed and said she would see me then.

OK. Saturday arrives. It was a rainy day. I was depressed. I didn’t want to get out of bed and I wanted to reschedule this appointment with her. I got up went to softball practice, for energy sake, and then headed over to her house.

I knocked for about 10 minutes. NO ANSWER! I just stood there in the rain like a fool because I was truly upset, but just as I was contemplating driving my car through her garage door, finally someone came to the door! They completed a verification check of who I was and Whomp There It Is! I was in the house!

Immediately, Dr. Jacquelyn put me to work and when I finished at 8:40 PM just this past Saturday (March 24, 2012), I had 13 apps with a total of $16,013.16 AP and more referrals. OMG!

The Doctor even fed me because I was at her home all day, and yes I did eat, but we also have a shoe shopping date for next week! (Those who know me know how I feel about MY SHOES…LOL!) This is a huge testimony for so many examples we hear at National Agents Alliance, but the biggest one is to not give up. I made my first call for this lead on January 31, 2012. It took me 53 days to get this woman to truly commit to her appointment.

Looking beyond one’s self and getting the job done is a gift from God.

This couldn’t have happened to me at a better time. I am so grateful that my patience assisted so many people on Saturday.

TRUE MARCH MADNESS!

One of my favorite quotes: “It’s not what you are willing to do that will make you successful. It’s what you are willing to do without until you get there.” – Daniel Waldschmidt

The future is now and that means finding sharp, young people from generations X and Y, which will require a different approach than many would expect from the insurance and financial industry of years past.

You think with the same mindset as Gen X and Y rather than about who you are and how your company has viewed things in the past.

New recruits are going to be more diverse than the people who run your operations now and they will be different than the industries that support producers.

Going younger means producers in the field now are not just older but they are cut from a different cloth. They won’t think like those who have been in the field. They will not want to be like older producers. They will not want to operate like those before them either. They have a totally different skill set.

What does all that mean?

It means you have to adapt to the recruiting base with National Agents Alliance… quickly. You’ve got to find a commonality to at least establish a good rapport with those who don’t think like you do.

There is a void coming in terms of producers in the insurance industry. If you can’t adapt and figure out how to make room for new thinking, it’s likely your National Agents Alliance team will stunt its own growth. It’s very likely that new recruits are not going to be insurance people first.

Young producers are coming at a time when the economy – overall – is less than stellar. They are looking for something they can believe in. They are not going to blindly trust what you tell them. Reaching different demographics is going to vital for those agency managers who want to take their business to the next level. At the end of the day, it is still about finding those who want to train, put forth solid effort and aren’t afraid to work hard. Finding them, however, will not be as easy for those used to recruiting traditionally.

There is a huge wealth transfer taking place in the United States with Baby Boomers retiring and the money has to go somewhere. Finding agents to service the clients is as important as it has ever been. That hasn’t changed at National Agents Alliance.

Offering Gen X and Y the chance to set their own hours and schedules can be very attractive to a new recruit. Helping others and being part of a meaningful team is also desirable for young people. That’s the job that insurance can afford the younger agents looking to get started. They might not want to enter the insurance field, but those other factors could sway them in that direction. If you can create an atmosphere where young people know they will be successful and enjoy a great lifestyle, then you are on the right track. All they need to do is be open to training, willing to work and do the work. Out of five recruits, three likely will not make it. The two that do will do so because they work hard and apply the tools National Agents Alliance gives them to succeed.

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Let’s get real. This is the time of the year when everyone sets new goals, gets the boss’s approval, feels a renewed desire to climb the ladder of success, but unfortunately by Feb. 1st it’s back to the same old routine.

How can 2012 be different than past years? Here are a few thoughts that could help you understand why so many people fall short of their goals and never get out of the rut that has them stuck and why some people sail right up to the top.

First, we know there is a cost to success, but we can all agree our successes feel so good they seem worth the price once we’ve arrived. Sometimes when we’re still searching for success the cost seems heavy, but here’s what you need to keep in mind when the path seems steep: the price of failure is far greater.

Work every day for small successes and enjoy the feeling. That high can carry you on to another small success, or to greater and greater successes. Little by little you’re moving toward you bigger targets, and done this way, even with setbacks along the way, it never seems so bad you want to stop. Try getting a small success as early in the day as possible. You’ll see a big change in the way the rest of your day goes!

Why do some people we know accomplish things with such ease, and others, maybe even more competent, struggle? Both groups KNOW what to do. They have the same knowledge, but never get the same results. Look closely. One group takes action and the other tries to figure out a better way. By the time they figure it out they’re left in the dust, while the doers are picking up their bonus checks. What’s the difference? Knowledge is potential power and action is the real power.

The action-people are risk takers, not afraid to try something new. While some wait for every detail, the doer takes off with only 75 percent of the knowledge and blazes a trail, sometimes weaving off course but always way ahead of the field, and never looking back.

You don’t have to be the smartest or the best trained; just ready to go. Take initiative. Get the jump on the competition with National Agents Alliance. You already have enough of what it takes. All you can do is all you can do, and all you can do is enough! But you have to DO it and prosperity will find you!

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Our lives changed not only economically but as a couple. Paul and I were dating for 3 years before I introduced him to National Agents Alliance, I knew his views on a lot of things were going to change by going to convention but the main thing that changed was our relationship, we became business partners and few months after convention he proposed to me, I believe it was because how much NAA emphasis on family values and marriage. Not only did our relationship changed but they also gave us a dream wedding. One of my dreams was to go to Atlantis paradise island, thanks to NAA we did that and got a paradise wedding at the Atlantis. I love to travel and see different part of the world, thanks to National Agents Alliance we will be able to do that and provide for our families

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We have all heard stories of the quintessential 98-pound weakling performing a physical feat of historic proportions, and this notion was brought to the fore once again in a recent article circulating on the web.

This particular story described a 17 year-old boy who was so weak he was unable to successfully hand-walk across the parallel bars in his gym class, but he was able to lift a car off his older brother who was pinned underneath the ’57 Chevy he was restoring.

How could this under-muscled kid do the impossible? We know that a rush of adrenaline can make muscles do more than believed, but what’s the “reason” behind this?

People do all sorts of amazing things when their degree of passion reaches the level of this 17 year-old when he faces the fact: “I lift this car or my brother dies.”

What extremes would you go to if you had to save the life of your child? Parents have rushed into burning buildings and torn through walls because of such motivation. When we have a real “reason” it’s amazing the sudden motivation we have to act, and act quickly.

What would happen to your career if you could infuse this level of passion into your day-to-day, hour-to-hour activity? We all pretty much know what to do; most just don’t do enough. What motivates you to get the job done? Is the “why” you work accurately defined? If it’s not, it will be easy to become distracted by just about anything, and the “to-do” list never gets done. This doesn’t happen to the real producers in life. Somehow their motivations are applied to the right things at the right time, and they finish the job with time left over for family, recreation, etc.

First, you have to create a huge “why,” your very personal reason for what you do. For most professionals this means more than just making money…seeing their children get a great education, helping parents retire early from a difficult, physical job, or maybe helping to feed starving children in a third-world country. Whatever it is that drives you needs to be big. When it is, and you internalize it, develop a powerful, passionate vision of your “why,” and you spend some quiet time each day to focus on that reason, it becomes “part of you,” and is stored deep in your subconscious mind, the 99% of your mind that controls what you do automatically.

When you’re working on your computer, if you have the correct software running it will be easy to get your tasks done. The same happens with your mind. You program your mind by building that strong passion for your life; building the motivation you need to reach your goals. This necessary motivation does not come from a boss. It’s internal. Only you can properly program the mind by consciously feeding it good, positive, uplifting information, or you’ll end up with the old “garbage in/garbage out.” Visualize the results you want. When you focus on what you really want more than anything else in the word, your subconscious mind will take over and there is nothing that will keep you from succeeding. No chore will be too tough. No deadline will bother you. The phone no longer weighs a ton. Asking for referrals will be easy. It’s really a done deal. Everything is on auto-pilot. You’ll pick up the car!